Rockin' Utah

Rockin' Utah (Reaching Out Connecting Kids In Nature) is a fun way to get outside to play, discover and explore Utah's state parks.
Rockin' Utah is part of a nationwide Children in Nature effort, based on Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder by author Richard Louv. His book describes how children would rather be playing a video game, hanging out in a mall, or texting on a cell phone, than playing outdoors and how the concept of camping and hiking is becoming more foreign to young people.
That's what we did this weekend.
We signed up for a free weekend at the Fremont State Indian Park for Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28.
Friday we arrived early a the Museum and watched a video and toured the museum and picked up some maps of interest. We then went to the campsite (Stowe Farm)and set up. Mark and Talmage then went for a hike. Bethany and I started also, but she kept wanting to be held so I took her back for a nap. They also had mountain bikes and helmets for anyone who wanted to use them during the weekend.
At 6:30 pm when almost all the other families had arrived (there was a limit of 10) then they started the dutch oven demonstration as well as giving away goodies (we got state pins, postcard books, caps, and water bottles). We also got a free night parking certificate for the regular campground. The grub was delicious (ham steak & potatoes, chicken & potatoes, and hamburger & potatoes; along with cobbler). After they did a campfire and did Cowboy poetry and stories.
In the morning another delicious dutch oven meal, a few more goodies (we got a couple of nice duffel bags) and an exercise on survival. Also, each family that participated got a dutch oven.
Kari (Car-ee), who was at the visitors center when we arrived Friday night, was there Saturday morning and she invited Talmage back to the museum for a backdoor tour. We went and played in a new area where kids can climb a ladder and be in a pretend kiva (?) all equipped with hides and baskets and pottery; and they got to wear some leather Indian clothing made for this as well. We also got to see where they keep the items not on display and a big pottery piece they are putting together that no one else has seen. The kids then each got a rock animal. We then hiked on # 5.
We came home, hot, happy and tired!
What a great weekend!!! In August we go back for another day experience.
(pictures later)

Photo for post below.

April 17, 2008

I was going to say that there is nothing new going on, but thats not true--Lots going on; I'm just lazy.
The kindergarten recently put on a play and I have pictures, but not loaded on my computer. Talmage was a narrator (actually two narrators as one of the boys moved a day before the play).
Beffy (Bethany), likes you to "scoop" over so she can sit by you, and I wish I could type how she says "...La luna del cacciatore." She also says "lellow" for yellow. I need to take some notes on what the kids are doing and then put it in the blog instead of trying to do it cold turkey--my mind doesn't work that way.
Here is a photo of the kids on the computer together--talmage plays games and likes to watch cartoons and if he is watching "Kim Possible" or "Ben10" then Beffy likes to watch also.
Ok--its not letting me add a photo at this time, so I will try to add a couple of pictures after I post this note

Very Short Update

Just a quick and very short update. The home computer bit the dust right at the first of December and I am unable to load pictures on the work computer (I have to email them and since I don't have the home computer to load them on I have no current pictures).
We had a good Christmas and a good new year.
Talmage LOVES school and Bethany would love the opportunity to love school--we've got to make sure she is in preschool next fall.
I had tons more to say, but my mind is blank (thats what happens when I sit on the phone waiting for a call to come thru).
Hopefully by May we'll have our computer back and running so then I can add pictures and not worry about what I say.

Christmas Dreams

I wanted to get my Halloween and Canyon Trip posted first--but I am so slow (and the pictures from the Canyon haven't even been downloaded yet) so I thought I had better just post this now.

We put up are Christmas Tree and all of our Christmas decorations last night (shame on me, no pictures) and this morning Bethany was just sitting at the table in front of the tree eatting her funyons and watching the tree; no tv, no nothing else--just so content for at least 30 minutes. I wanted a picture, but knew that as soon as I walked in to get the camera then she would be done.

She is such a busy body and is actually spending more time undecorating (or should I say re-arranging) then anything else. This whole season will be about following her around constantly and making sure the decorations stay on the tree, the stockings stay hung, and that no presents are unwrapped before Christmas morning.....

The leaf pile

We have sure enjoyed a lot of leaf piles this fall. This particular one was on 10/17/07 and Bethany, Talmage and I raked the leaves and sure had fun with them. The kids kept running and jumping in them and throwing them up in the air. What they loved the most was burying themselves in the leaves while I would pretend to look for them and then they would "get" me and then I would help bury them again.

Leaf piles sure bring back old memories of so many falls--especially my early ones when my "Grandma Smith" was still alive and I would go to her house and jump in the piles before she burned them, and then the smell of the burning leaves. Love it!

Don't Look

I can't remember what movie or tv show that Bethany was watching, but she kept covering her dolls eyes and telling her not to look. She was saying something about a monster (Bethany LOVES monsters) and that it was alright.